Gov. Ritter breaks ground for LiquidMaize ethanol plant near Lamar

Tuesday

Mar 25, 2008 at 12:01 AMMar 25, 2008 at 11:19 AM

About 100 people attended a groundbreaking ceremony at May Valley, where LiquidMaize will build an ethanol plant. It is the first "short haul" plant to be build by LiquidMaize, which will sell the wet distillers grain (WDG) by-product to an adjacent cattle feedyard. Semi-trucks which usually return to Denver empty after dropping off petroleum products will be able to haul ethanol back to refineries. Colorado State University will provide research for the plant, said Paul Orentas of LiquidMaize.

Dan Cunningham

A groundbreaking ceremony here Saturday advanced Colorado’s claim of being the leader in alternative energy.

Gov. Bill Ritter said Prowers County is part of “Colorado’s energy future” during ground breaking ceremonies for the ethanol plant LiquidMaize plans to build four miles north Lamar.

“Colorado is quickly building a New Energy Economy and is fast becoming a national and international leader in renewable energy,” Ritter said.

Citing the windmill farms that are already sending energy from the plains to the Front Range, Ritter said additional events such as “today’s LuiquidMaize groundbreaking represent another victory for the New Energy Economy as we continue to create jobs and new opportunities across Colorado.”

LiquidMaize hopes to have the plant open later this year. When it becomes fully operational it is expected to produce up to 11 million gallons of ethanol, managing member Paul Orentas told the Tribune-Democrat.

The plant will also create 14 jobs.

LiquidMaize plans to build up to two dozen “short haul” ethanol plants in the Western states in the next four years.

Orentas said the plant is uniquely situated to take advantage of the company’s business model.

Currently, trucks that haul petroleum products to southeast Colorado have to return empty. When production is underway these trucks will be able to return home with a load of “just in time” ethanol that will eliminate investment in storage facilities.

Meanwhile, an ethanol by-product — wet distiller’s grain (WDG) — will be sold directly to the on-site cattle feedyard. This will eliminate transportation costs entirely for the WDG. The site is adjacent to Four States Feeders feedlot on Country Road 8.

“We are also eager to create a positive impact on local and state economies,, and begin to contribute to the reduction of American dependence on foreign oil,” Orentas said before a hundred on-lookers at the ceremony.

Orentas said when consumer buy oil-based gasoline to fuel their vehicles much of the money leaves the country.

But when locally grown ethanol displaces oil much of that money remains in the area to sustain local families and build public roads and schools.

Orentas estimated the plant will spend $25 million a year locally when it is operational, much of that on corn produced in local fields.

In his talk, Ritter conceded there is a debate over using corn as the source for ethanol, but he noted “it is the fuel for now….It is a great transitional fuel.”

“At the end of the day market forces will determine the course of ethanol development,” Ritter said.

Orentas said his company will work with Colorado State University researchers in the development of other renewable crops that can be converted into ethanol.

In a press release prepared by company spokesman Steve Caulk, it was noted that the development of alternative ethanol feedstocks will encourage farmers to vary their crops to meet demand.

Although Orentas is from Virginia and LiquidMaize has offices in Washington, D. C., Orentas said the company is Denver based.

Prowers County Commissioner Gene Millbrand said the county’s strategy is to attract businesses that can become “part of the family…part of the community for a long time.”

Millbrand said LiquidMaize is already part of the family in Prowers County. It has donated $10,000 to the fair board for this year’s fair and rodeo, he cited as an example.